Introduction to the Research Handbook on Homelessness

Homelessness remains a pressing social issue in many countries but homelessness in the 21st century is different from earlier forms of homelessness. This chapter provides an overview of the key approaches to researching homelessness, and the ways in which homelessness research has evolved over time. It shows how various research ‘strands’ have emerged at different times and in different countries. Along the way it highlights the strengths and weaknesses of various research methodologies, and the specific challenges that researching homelessness present to researchers. The final part of the chapter provides a short description of each chapter in the Handbook.